Candy consumption not linked to obesity?

Eating too much candy is associated with cavities – but is it directly related to obesity or other health problems? According to a new report published in Nutrition Journal, the frequency with which a person eats candy has no association to weight or heart disease. The study found that adults who consume candy at least every other day are no more likely to be overweight than those who eat candy once a week or less.

Where 96 percent of adults admit to eating candy, there are wide ranges of the frequency in which people consume sweets. In this study, 5,000 U.S. adults were evaluated for BMI, waist circumference and skinfold thickness—all objective measurements of obesity. Participants additionally answered questions about food consumption, including how much and how often they ate candy. The results found no association between the frequency of candy intake and BMI or cardiovascular risk factors among adults.

But there are three caveats. Though candy may not be a leading cause of obesity in its own right, eating too much sugar certainly isn’t good for your health. Second, this study was done on adults, so it doesn’t relate directly to the consumption of candy by kids. And finally, although this research did use accurate data and met the standards of scientific publication, it was funded by the National Confectioners Association.

Health care costs more than a year of groceries

A new report published in Forbes magazine from Milliman Inc. has found that the most significant expense for a family of four is health care spending, even when the family has coverage through an employer. At a cost of more than $22,000 per year, medical spending is now more expensive than a year’s worth of groceries or gas.

The 2013 Milliman Medical Index analyzes the total costs of health care for a family of four living in the U.S. It found that yearly costs rose 6.2 percent from 2012, and have increased roughly $1,300 per year for each of the last four years.

So how did costs get so high? Even if a family has insurance coverage, employers have been shifting large chunks of the cost onto their employees, combining with deductibles, co-insurance, co-pays and other out-of-pocket spending. In fact, in four of the last five years, families have experienced a greater percentage rise in health care costs than employers.

Moving forward, the Affordable Care Act is designed to try to change this trend through the establishment of new health care systems, including Accountable Care Organizations, which are meant to improve efficiency.

Calcium supplements increase lifespan in women

Calcium, normally associated with dairy products, is an essential nutrient for bone health, and recent research suggests it could also help women live longer lives. Although past studies have linked calcium supplements to heart disease risk, a recent study from McGill University in Montreal found that a moderate level of calcium supplementation—up to 1,000 mg per day—can lower the mortality risk for women.

This study used data from the large-scale Canadian Multicentre Osteoporosis Study, which monitored the health of 9,033 women between 1995 and 2007. Benefits were seen in women who took daily calcium supplements, and it did not matter if the supplement also contained vitamin D, which has also been associated with longevity. While women were found to have lower death risk with supplementation, no similar benefit was seen in men.

Though the study referenced calcium supplements specifically, the researchers noted that the source of calcium was irrelevant, whether it came from dairy, non-dairy or supplements.